Conference Call: Mike Martin

Just out here doing my thing, just killing it—I guess they just call it mighty.

(on if this is around where he expected to be drafted)

I knew that (the Titans) liked me a lot, and whatever happened was going to happen. It doesn’t matter where you start, it matters where you finish. I could have been undrafted, and whatever team I was going to I was going to play well at. I know that for a fact.

(on how he was able to know that the Titans liked him)

Because of the people, and that’s what matters. The people and I met the whole staff, they showed a genuine interest and I knew that if they picked me that they were going to get the guy that they saw on tape. I think that’s what matters.

(on if he generated interest from NFL teams in both a 4-3 and a 3-4 defense)

I was very versatile. I had three years of experience playing a zero technique in the 3-4 defense and then having the opportunity to play in the 4-3 under (University of Michigan Defensive Coordinator) Greg Mattison, and also playing the three technique and the one shade just gave me so many snaps at each position. I feel like I could really go anywhere, so wherever I’m placed, I’m going to do well at.

(on if he can bounce outside if they need him to)

If they put me at linebacker, I will make some plays at linebacker and at D-end, so wherever I’m going I’m going to do something.

(on how much he currently knows about the Titans)

I know that I’m going to Google the hell out of the Titans right now (laughs). I know a lot about the Titans, but I’m going to get a better understanding of every single intricate detail about the organization and really just get ready to go here.

(on if he learned much about the Titans when he trained with former Titans defensive end Kevin Carter)

I actually talked briefly with Kevin, but it was just on a training standpoint. I worked with Mike Barwis—Barwis methods, and he’s the one who really transformed me post-Sugar Bowl, and really got my body right for the Senior Bowl. I really think I opened up a lot of eyes at the Senior Bowl with how I performed at the combine, and I think that was the deciding factor there.

(on what he learned training with Ndamukong Suh last summer)

Really, just the way he carries himself as a professional, which I feel like I’ve done a great job of transitioning into that. I was really put in a place, put in the spotlight at Michigan being a captain, being one of the main guys—a guy who is looked upon to be a leader on the field and off the field. Really what he does off the field. He’s big into philanthropy and that’s important, it’s important to give back to the community, and that’s the kind of guy I am. To see a guy who is a top player, and he is out giving his time and doing that—that means a lot.

(on how he got the opportunity to train with Ndamukong Suh)

I got really interested in what he is doing, and I heard he was having a camp and I reached out to him and I tweeted him and he tweeted me back and he said he’d love to have me out. I got to meet and talked to him a little bit more extensively at his camp and talked to his sister Ngum and he’s been sort of the guy behind the scenes that no one really knows about. I can call and he’s kind of my guy who’s like a mentor who is a hub of information that he is a guy who’s always offered up his time to talk to me, and that’s a big help.

(on if he can help the Titans improve their run defense)

Yes, that is something that has always been something that I pride myself on, and something that we pride ourselves on at Michigan. That was our mission statement—I guess you could say. No one was going to run the ball on us. We had the best redzone defense in the country for six weeks straight. That’s something that we worked our tails at. That’s something that—I’m going to be consistent, I’m going to have a motor and I’m not going to stop until I hear the whistle blow.

(on how he’d describe himself as a player)

I’m a guy who’s not going to stop. I’m a guy that the whistle is going to have to be blown three or four times for me to stop on the play. I think that (Ndamukong) Suh plays that way, he’s got a heck of a motor and I just want to be that guy who can prove that he has that motor in the NFL. I feel like that is what I relied on in college. When guys would quit on a play or just decided not to finish, I was going to finish and I was going to make a play because of that.

(on if he knows any current Titans players)

I know guys through association, but I don’t know them personally, so I’m looking forward to getting to know guys a little bit better.

(on if he is encouraged by the success last year’s Titans rookie defensive lineman had)

Oh yeah. Being young guys and coming in and making a statement, really coming in and working their butts off—that’s something that I’m ready to do, and I’m excited to get going here. It’s been a while since I played football; it’s been since the Sugar Bowl. I’m ready to get a helmet on, get out there, get better and compete.

(on if he has ever been to Nashville before and what his impressions are of the city)

Actually, I have really good family friends that live in Tennessee and in Nashville, so I’ve gotten a taste of Nashville a little bit, and I’m excited to explore it a little bit more—get to know the city and the people.

(on how his wrestling background helps him in football)

It really, especially the position—that I played mostly in college, one technique, zero and two eye. It’s close quarters and it happens fast, very fast. In wrestling, that’s all it is. Being able to have leverage, being able to be athletic and shoot on guys and work your hands. Especially in the pass rush and even the run, you have to shoot your hands, you have to get guys off of you and you have to make plays. Wrestling has really helped me with my leverage and my quickness getting off the snap. I do some unorthodox training, guess you could say, I roll around on the mat at my training facility because it’s one of the best conditioning sports you can do. You’re in the best shape of your life if you can wrestle live for two minutes, so I try to do that as much as I can.

(on the Titans second round pick Zach Brown being a decorated wrestler as well and if the two of them are going to have a wrestling showdown)

I’m excited, hell yeah. I actually thought about that briefly. Like I said, I’m just ready to compete, I’m ready to make guys better and for them to make me better, and that’s how the Titans are going to improve as a team.

(on being listed at 306 lbs and what he currently weighs)

304, right around there—305, same thing, I’ve been training hard, just staying in shape and staying ready.